5Q interview with Alisha Kali @yogalish

1. Tell me about your personal journey with yoga. Why is it important to you? My journey with yoga began when I was 19. I fell in love right away with the physical practice because I had danced throughout high school and practicing Vinyasa flow felt just like dancing to me. I signed up for a 200 hour teacher training and soon discovered that there was so much more to yoga than just asana. In the years since I started teaching, yoga has opened up so many opportunities and connected me to many amazing communities and beautiful like-minded people. It’s taught me that I’m stronger and capable of so much more than I thought I was.

2. When did you first begin teaching yoga? What made you transition into a leadership position? I started teaching yoga only a year after I began practicing. I’ve always been a pretty shy person, and I think becoming a teacher was exactly what I needed to start building confidence in myself. Now, I love being a guide and an inspiration for other yogis to deepen their practice.

3. What makes your classes unique? I like to teach pretty strong Vinyasa classes, but I also like to emphasize the breath and moving through transitions gracefully. I keep my sequences fun and creative, and offer lots of opportunities to get upside down!

4. How does music benefit your guidance in a yoga class? Music is super important to me when I teach. I make new playlists every week because when the music feels fresh and inspiring to me, I know that my teachings will also feel more fresh and inspiring to my students.

5. Tell me about your next event and where we can follow you online.: I’m teaching a backbend workshop on August 27th and an inversion workshop on September 24th at OH Yoga in Orange. These workshops are meant for students who want to build more confidence with intermediate or advanced postures so they can prepare for level 2 classes. You can learn more about my classes and workshops at my website: www.yogawithalisha.com